Status of Micronutrient Deficiencies in Indian Soil and the Role of cheated micronutrients in Alleviating Micronutrient Deficiency and Agricultural Production –A Review

Crops grown in most soils in India suffer from deficiencies of one or more micronutrients, even though the soils often contain adequate total amounts of the respective elements. Of the 17 elements essential for plant growth, eight are micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (CI), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni). The nature and extent of deficiencies vary with soil type, crop genotype, management, and agroecological situations. Among the various micronutirents zinc is a deficiency found in most area. Micronutrient deficiencies are now frequently observed in intensively grown cereals, oilseeds, pulses, and vegetable crops.Due to micronurinet the crop yield losses were observed by 9-35 %. Chelated micronutrinets have been found to increase nutrient utilization efficiency. The chelated fertilizer improves the bioavailability of micronutrients and in turn, contributes to the productivity and profitability of commercial crop production. Chelated fertilizers have a greater potential to increase commercial yield than regular micronutrients. Hence, inclusion of micronutrients in a balanced fertilization schedule would optimize micronutrient supply and availability throughout the entire food consumption cycle.